Recent advances in gaming machine technology and in particular with respect to microprocessor controlled slot or reel type machines have made it possible to offer a machine having a very high maximum payout. For example, the advent of the virtual reel concept as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,448,419 and 4,711,451, along with the non-uniform probability technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,932, issued 8/22/89, have resulted in slot machines where the maximum payout can be a thousand times, five thousand times, or even a greater multiple of the coin input. In practice, these machines have been provided with a graduated pay schedule where there is a maximum payout, such as $25,000 for a two five dollar coin input, and a graduated series of payouts such as $12,000, $6,000, $3,200 and $1,600 along with a number of lesser payouts for the two coin input.
These types of high payout machines have become very popular with players to a large extent due to the possibility of receiving a very large payoff for a relatively small investment. However, it has been observed that these payout schedules have a disadvantage in that for payouts that exceed a certain administrative value, various organizations, including government, licensing and tax authorities as well as internal casino accounting procedures, require that certain administrative actions be taken including the filling out of forms by the players in order to properly account for these payouts. Because these newer machines often have a number of payouts that are above the administrative value, casino operating expenses are increased due to the number of additional personnel required to perform these functions. Also, the players are inconvenienced and game play is significantly slowed which can affect casino income.